Needing info on Norinco SKS

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psychohellbilly666

New member
I recently was going thru the safe and came across some rifles i haveny shot in a while, among them is a Chinese Norinco SKS. I remember when I purchased it back in '92 for a whopping $79. The left side of the rifle is stamped with 3 chinese characters followed by DB another chinese character and 721. The ser# is 0065xx. Then 7.62x39 sporter made by norinco. The right side is stamped west tuc az made in china. The spacing is like that to account for spacing in the stamps. All ser# match (bolt, bolt cover, receiver and trigger guard). I have read that the sporters are set to accept ak mags. this one isnt. Also it doesnt have a thumbhole stock. I currently have it set on a folding synthetc stock and that way it accepts removable sks mags. I have the original 10 rd fixed mag which is also stamped with the ser#. Also have the original wood stock which has the hole in the but for the cleaning tools also the green sling and oil can. It has the folding spike bayonet. I am woundering on the year of production, approximate value and the inconsistencies with stuff I have read ie about the ak mags. I was considering selling it to help fund another ar15. Any help would be appreciated as i have ried to date the manufacture and was unable to. Is it someting i just need to hang on to (as the say its not eating anything) and find another way to fund a new ar15? Any help is appreciated. I will post pics this weekend. Overall condition is excellent to like new. I purchased in '92 and have shot app 200 rnds thru it.
 
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DMK

New member
Sounds like it's just a regular SKS then. The one that takes AK mags would have a metal lining inside the magwell of the stock. It also has a modified bolt that allows the mag to be removed when the bolt is closed. A standard SKS has neither of these.

Norincos are a little funny. They were imported by many different companies and many seemed to stick a pet name on them. There doesn't seem to be a lot of consistency. Dating them is tough too, but it shouldn't affect value anyway, unless you had a real hardcore collector who was looking for a certain year.

As far as what it's worth, if you have all the original parts, it's probably worth somewhere between $350 - $450 if you put it all back together and add all the aftermarket crap in the deal as "accessories". Minty Norincos aren't all that common anymore. Many have gotten 'tacticalized'.
 
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psychohellbilly666

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So is it likely that somewhere from import to store in 92 that the stock got switched and that is the only reason is doesn't accept ak mags. As all other numbers seem to match. Also if going by one dating method if I'm doing it correctly it would be one of the earliest produced or imported since it is under the millionth. But then again there is no triangle with # inside. That is another confusing point for me as I tried the search feature on the forums and only ended up confused. If it isn't something rare with a high price might be better to keep then since I have about 1k rounds of ammo. Also does anyone know of any ar formats in the 7.62x39 cal. If not wonder why this is. Possible different country creations thing. But now I'm just rambling.
 
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bootleggerspub

New member
Sounds ike a mod

Sometimes people modified these with semi-factory parts to accept detachable mags. Maybe you have one of them. A custom...
 
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psychohellbilly666

New member
It looks pretty basic as most other norinco sks I have seen. The wood stock is you basid wood stock with metal butt plate that is spring loaded to house the cleaning kit. It also has a bar on the mid way point of the mag well (looks kinda like a flat nail) and the heads have 2 taped holes in them. I assume this is just a brace. The stock is not metal lined and the thing with the bolt must be open to remove the mag is correct.
 
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psychohellbilly666

New member
I purchased it new in 92. And only thing I changed was the stock and added a 30 rd tapko magazine. So any other mods would have been done prior to import I assume.
 
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Magnum Wheel Man

New member
I have one I got for $89.00 I put recently put a composite monty carlo stock on it ( replacing the folder I stuck on it in the Clinton era ), put the stock 10 round fixed box back on & accurized the rifle ( removing the bayonette lug, shortening & recrowning the barrel replacing the sights with a set of Tech Sights among other things... ) it'll now put 10 rounds into a 4" group at 200 yards just about every time, & with stripper clips, it reloads faster than I could change those stupid "duck bill" mags...

yours sounds sounds pretty normal, but should sell for somewhere between $350.00 & $500.00 with all the stuff... a pretty good profit for what it cost you originally
 
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psychohellbilly666

New member
Yeah I was contemplating putting it back original with the wood stock and 10 rnd fixed magazine and possible selling the accesories by themselves and maybe keeping the rifle. The accesories were put on for the "cool"factor as I was 18 when I got it. I would still like to trace down some of the markings and date of production. I assume the tuc az is the factory it was imported to. The west stamp and low seriel number is what has me puzzled. Also the lack of the triangle stamp. I have read different things on the triangle stamp such as it is only on there if was built for civilian use. I'm pretty sure mine wasn't a war time gun as all #s match. Also what factory was actually from tuc az. Like said I purchased in 92 when they were still relatively unheard of on the open market.
 
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DMK

New member
So is it likely that somewhere from import to store in 92 that the stock got switched and that is the only reason is doesn't accept ak mags.
Click to expand...

Does the bolt carrier have a stripper clip guide?

Are the rails at the bottom of the bolt machined down to allow the mag to be removed while the bolt is closed?

Does the bolt hold open when the mag is empty? (The AK mag version will not - it has no bolt hold open parts)

The mag catch is different on the AK mag SKS too. I'm not sure if it will accept a standard SKS mag. I don't think so. I'll take a look at mine tomorrow.

I don't think it is possible to convert the AK mag SKS into a regular fixed mag SKS. I also think it is highly doubtful that anyone would even try.

Take a look at some of the pics in this thread (unfortunately the best ones don't load).

http://www.sksboards.com/smf/index.php?topic=440.15
 
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psychohellbilly666

New member
Does the bolt carrier have a stripper clip guide? Yes it does

the rifle came with a 10 rnd fixed magazine and the outer shell will drop when the bolt is closed. The bolt also holds open when the mag is empty.

I did already locate some info on the sks forums and actually posted a message there and received a couple replies with some helpful info. There are also some pics I posted over there. Here is the link to the post

http://www.sksboards.com/smf/index.php?topic=69805.0

thanks
 
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DMK

New member
I'm not sure why it's stamped "SKS Sporter", but it is definitely not an SKS-D/SKS-M type.

It's a nice Norinco though! I like the fact that you have kept all the original parts. Lots of guys bubba'd them (after all it's just a Chinese, not a Russian :( ) and lose the original parts.

I've seen Norincos not half as nice go for $350-$400 in gunshops and pawn shops around here.
 
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